Catering tenders and contracts in the UK
There are 34 live catering tenders in the UK right now, from Find a Tender and Contracts Finder. This page covers school meals, food supply and vending contracts from councils, the NHS and other public buyers. Below is what buyers are asking for, so you can see whether you qualify before you spend hours bidding.
01What buyers ask for
From the 34 live catering tenders in the UK we have read so far.
- Minimum turnover
- Rarely stated in the notice
- Contract length
- Typically 3 years
- Suitable for SMEs
- 27 of 34 flagged by the buyer
- Frameworks & DPS
- 3 of 34
02Live catering tenders in the UK
- Nutritional Products FrameworkBelfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT)Northern Ireland£93k–9.3mCloses 2 daysFramework
- AA-101-26 Vending Beverage and Snack Products and ServicesNHS Ayrshire & ArranScotlandNot statedCloses 7 days
- Catering Provision ReviewNATIONAL ARMY MUSEUMLondon£20kCloses 9 daysSME
- Invitation To Tender for The Supply & Distribution of Hot Pasta & Sauce Bar ConceptThe Bolton Impact TrustNorth West£5.5mCloses 14 daysSME
- Barnet Schools Cluster - Catering Tender apr27EducoLondon£400k–2.9mCloses 16 daysSME
- Search Education Trust - Catering TenderEducoLondon£2.3mCloses 17 daysSME
- Provision of Foods and Beverages: Ambient, Chilled, and FrozenNorse Commercial Services LimitedEast of England +2Not statedCloses 17 daysSME
- T26-125CRO Informal Catering for Mayoral EventsDerry City and Strabane District CouncilNorthern IrelandNot statedCloses 18 days
- Ready Meal Containers and Sealing FilmBelfast Health and Social Care TrustNorthern Ireland£408k–2.3mCloses 21 days
- Catering ServicesCONNECT ACADEMY TRUSTSouth West£850kCloses 21 daysSME
- Danes Educational TrustDanes Educational TrustEast of England£7.9mCloses 24 daysSME
- CA18527 - Danes Educational TrustDanes Educational TrustUK-wide£7.9mCloses 24 daysSME
Show 22 more tenders
- Ice Cream Concession, Towneley ParkBurnley Borough CouncilNorth West£320kCloses 28 daysSME
- Catering Tender - Haringey Schools Apr27EducoLondon£616k–2.2mCloses 30 daysSME
- Ice Cream Products and EquipmentBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole CouncilSouth West£1.5m–3.7mCloses 30 days
- Birmingham Women's and Children's Catering OutsourcingBirmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation TrustWest Midlands£15mCloses 32 days
- Newham Cluster - Catering Tender Apr27EducoLondon£591k–12mCloses 32 daysSME
- Procurement Coffee and Vending Equipment, Consumables, Maintenance Services and a Replenishing Service for Coffee and Vending machinesVelindre University NHS TrustWales£1Closes 32 daysSME
- Effect of probiotics on Campylobacter colonisation within the broiler gutFood Standards AgencyYorkshire and the Humber£500kCloses 35 daysSME
- National Framework Agreement for Total Food ManagementCOUNTESS OF CHESTER HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUSTNorth West£45mCloses 35 daysFrameworkSME
- Cutenhoe Hill Primary School & Nursery _ LutonCutenhoe Hill Primary School & NurseryEast of England£479kCloses 39 daysSME
- Global Travel, Accommodation and Venue Management ServicesGovernment Commercial AgencyNorth West£36250mCloses 43 days
- Invitation to Tender for the Management of the Catering Services (Framework Agreement) at Blackdown Education PartnershipBLACKDOWN EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPSouth WestNot statedCloses 71 daysFrameworkSME
- Wellacre Academy ~ Catering TenderWellacre AcademyNorth WestNot statedCloses 102 daysSME
- Catering Tender - Murray Park Community SchoolMurray Park Community SchoolEast Midlands£2.5mCloses 109 daysSME
- Dane Royd and Mackie Hill Infant and Junior Schools ~ Catering TenderDane Royd and Mackie Hill Infant and Junior SchoolsYorkshire and the HumberNot statedCloses 144 daysSME
- Islip Manor High School Catering TenderIslip Manor High SchoolLondon£1Closes Not statedSME
- Thrive Co-operative Learning Trust Catering TenderThrive Co-operative Learning Trust (RM&C)Yorkshire and the Humber£1Closes Not statedSME
- Park High School Catering TenderPark High School (RM&C)London£1Closes Not statedSME
- Mulberry Schools Trust - Catering ServicesMulberry Schools TrustSouth East£8mCloses Not statedSME
- Stowe Valley Multi Academy Trust - Catering TenderStowe Valley Multi Academy TrustEast Midlands +1£13mCloses Not statedSME
- The Mead Educational Trust Catering ContractTHE MEAD EDUCATIONAL TRUSTEast MidlandsNot statedCloses Not statedSME
- Wilson's School - Catering TenderWilson's SchoolLondon£2.7mCloses Not statedSME
- Paradigm Trust Catering ContractPARADIGM TRUSTEast of England +1Not statedCloses Not statedSME
03Who is buying
- Educo 4 live tenders
- Danes Educational Trust 2 live tenders
- Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) 1 live tender
- NHS Ayrshire & Arran 1 live tender
- NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM 1 live tender
04Catering contracts: common questions
How many catering tenders are live in the UK?
34 right now, from 30 public buyers, with 4 closing in the next 14 days. We bring together notices from Find a Tender and Contracts Finder and refresh this page every hour.
What do buyers ask for in catering contracts?
Few notices state a minimum turnover; it is usually set out in the tender documents. Most requirements sit in the tender documents rather than the notice, so check the pack before you bid.
Can a small business win catering contracts?
Often, yes. 27 of the 34 live tenders in the UK are marked by the buyer as suitable for small businesses, and 3 are frameworks or dynamic purchasing systems (approved supplier lists that buyers then order from). Smaller lots and lower-value contracts are usually the best place to start. Check the minimum turnover and insurance first, as those are the checks that rule most bids out.
05Expert notes: Cleaning & facilities
Cleaning and facilities contracts are often won on price per square metre and quality checks. Buyers commonly ask for public liability insurance of £5m or more, COSHH procedures and, increasingly, social value commitments such as paying the Real Living Wage.
From the tenderITT tender experts. New to tendering? Read how to search Find a Tender, how to register on the Central Digital Platform and our Invitation to Tender guide.